British Rowing has announced that "only individuals who are assigned female at birth" will be allowed to compete in the women's category going forward.
Transgender women must now compete in the newly created open category, for which all individuals are eligible. Mixed categories may also be offered at any competition as long as at least 50% of participants qualify for the female category.
Transgender men who were assigned female at birth may compete in the female category unless they are using hormone therapy to transition, in which case they will be required to compete in the open category.
The national governing body stated:
"British Rowing is committed to promoting an environment in which rowing is accessible and inclusive and to ensuring that we provide opportunities and enjoyment for everyone. In order to achieve this in a fair manner, we need to establish conditions for competition that guarantee fair and meaningful competition by placing necessary and proportionate restrictions on eligibility. We already do so in lightweight and adaptive rowing categories, and we are now doing so in the women's category."
"Our policy has been developed following extensive and ongoing research and consultation with stakeholders, the rowing community, academics, and other relevant organisations, and NGBs since 2021 and is based on the scientific evidence available at this time."
The organisation also affirmed that they would review the policy "on a rolling annual basis, or sooner if necessary" to keep up to date with scientific research. They also stated the decision was not made under political pressure.
The change, which will apply to British athletes at international events like the Olympics, goes into effect September 11. It comes after British Rowing consulted its 31,500 members, who were polled as to whether they supported barring transgender women from the female category entirely, continuing the previous policy of allowing transgender women to compete in the women's category provided their testosterone was less than 5 nanomoles per litre (nmol/L), or lowering that limit to 2.5 nmol/L.
The average testosterone levels for those born female are 0.5 - 2.4 nmol/L, but there is wide variance.
Earlier this year World Rowing tightened their policy: in order to compete in the female category rowers had previously been required to show testosterone levels under 5 nmol/L for 12 consecutive months, but must now maintain levels under 2.5 nmol/L for 24 consecutive months.
British Rowing's decision also follows similar moves by World Athletics and Fina, the world governing body for swimming.
